


Little seeds, storks and ladies

by harmonia_bloom



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: Funny, Gen, Pregnancy, Season 1 Episode 02, Sibling Bonding, Siblings, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:21:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28723524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harmonia_bloom/pseuds/harmonia_bloom
Summary: Benedict and Colin try to explain to Eloise how a lady, um, comes with child.Happens during Season 01, Episode 02, "Shock and Delight".
Comments: 5
Kudos: 87





	Little seeds, storks and ladies

**Author's Note:**

> After watching Bridgerton, I did a quick survey and found that, in fact, the ladies of English high society were completely unaware of events involving sex and sexuality.  
> This is a silly idea, I know, but I had a lot of fun writing.

"Benedict! Colin!", Eloise squeaked. "Apparently, we're home alone."

The brothers were spread out comfortably in the Bridgerton House drawing room. It was almost time for dinner, so they both preferred to wait for the bell just spacing a little.

Colin, whose unending hunger made his hands full of cookie crumbs, frowned. "I believe Gregory and Hyacinth are here."

"They are in the children's ward, so it seems that we adults are alone at home."

"Since when are you an adult, dear sister?", Benedict gave a half smile. His hands were stained with coal while he was carefully arranged on the sofa, so as not to stain his mother's valuable furniture. "You weren't introduced to society, as far as I can remember."

"For my sole and exclusive option", she returned, shrugging.

"If that makes you more comfortable...", Colin smiled. He loved to mess with his sister (in a loving way, of course).

"So", she returned. "About this morning's conversation...".

"What conversation?", Benedict asked, without taking his eyes off the sketch he held in his hands. "We didn't have any conversations, did we, Colin?"

The brother had a playful look and nodded emphatically.

"You know what I'm talking about", Eloise said, in a lower tone than used before. "I need to know".

Benedict made a face. "I have no idea what you're talking about, sister."

"I need to know how...", Eloise started, her face heating up in embarrassment. "How does a lady get with child?".

Colin choked on the cookie he was about to swallow. Benedict let the coal fall to the floor, leaving a gray dust mark on his mother's rug.

"I don't think this is an appropriate subject", Colin remarked, remembering what had happened that morning, when Eloise had raised the same question and Violet had not only scolded the girl, but also practically forbidden her children to instigate the subject matter.

"Oh, please, Colin", Eloise pursed her lips. "Now I know that this, um, event can occur with ladies who are not even married".

Benedict raised his eyebrows. "And how did you get that information?".

"It doesn't matter!", the girl shrieked. "What matters is that I feel that I must prepare myself in case this, um, problem happens to me".

"I assure you, sister", Benedict looked at Eloise. "If that happens, you will already be happily married".

"Or about to get married. We wouldn't let a man dishonor you in this way without facing the consequences", Colin added.

A spark went through Eloise's eyes. "So you mean that for a lady to be with child, she must be dishonored?"

Benedict and Colin looked at each other. Sometimes they wondered how their sister could be so perceptive. This ability had already led the older Bridgerton brothers to speculate whether they could invest in a muzzle factory for talkative girls.

"Listen, Eloise", Benedict said slowly, highlighting each syllable. "This is a sensitive subject-"

"Very, very delicate," emphasized Colin.

"-and mama has already warned us about talking about this issue".

She sighed.

"I understand," Eloise murmured, sitting down next to her older brother. "I just...", and she fell silent, staring at her hands.

"What is it?", Colin asked, touched by his sister's expression.

She took another sigh, this time deeper. "I'm just tired of being a complete ignorant."

Almost instantly, Benedict took his sister's hand, smearing it with coal. Eloise didn't seem to care.

"Sister", he said, the affection being reflected in the tone of his own voice. "You are one of the smartest women we know".

Colin nodded, agreeing with Benedict. "You are not ignorant. You learned- and will still learn- everything a lady should know, and more."

But Eloise did not seem convinced. "Anything but this", she murmured. "How can you - the whole society - deprive me of knowing about something that can affect my own body?"

There was no answer. The brothers were silent, not knowing how to deal with the hitches of being a London high society lady.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room, until finally Colin opened his mouth.

"Listen, Eloise", he said softly. "Maybe... Maybe we can explain to you how a lady comes to this, um, situation, without necessarily provoking inappropriate matters."

It was enough for Eloise's tears to disappear from her pretty face.

This time, it was Benedict who frowned, trying to understand what the younger brother was talking about. "What do you mean, Colin?"

"Well", he started, forming one of his famous playful smiles on his face. "We can explain what happens without using the, um, properly terms."

"Oh", Benedict seemed to understand, reflecting the smile his brother had just given. "It can work."

"Please," Eloise had stood up and was now hopping around the room. "Explain to me, in any way".

"Okay", Colin settled on the couch. "Do you want to start?", he looked at Benedict.

"It was your idea, brother", Benedict replied with a truly sweet smile. "You must do the honors".

With a grimace, Colin bit his lip.

"So, sister", he started, taking a deep breath. "For a lady to end up in the situation you previously pointed out..."

"Yes?", she was now sitting youthfully on the rug, near the sofa on which her brother had settled.

"Let's say a gentleman...", he continued.

"That don't have to be this lady's husband," Eloise added.

"Yes", Colin stammered. "That don't have to be this lady's husband, although it is recommended that he be-"

"Highly, highly recommended," Benedict intervened.

"Highly recommended," Colin repeated, nodding. "This gentleman goes, um..."

Eloise raised an eyebrow. "What is the gentleman going to do?"

Colin looked at Benedict, as if he said "please, help me".

"The gentleman", Benedict came to the aid of his younger brother. "He will deposit a little seed in the lady and, in nine months, a child will be born", he added quickly. 

"A little seed?", both Colin and Eloise exclamed.

"Yes, a little seed. I know this because I'm the older sibling here", Benedict said quickly. "Any questions? No? Great, I'll check if dinner is ready-"

But, even before he could get up, Eloise jumped up and approached Benedict. "How this child will be born?"

This time, Colin replied, with a joke. "Well, a stork will bring the child into her or his mother's arms."

At the same moment, Benedict noticed doubts bubbling in his younger sister's ingenious head.

"And how does this gentleman deposit the seed in the lady? Is there a receptacle in the ladies? Where can I find mine?"

"Eloise!", the brothers scolded her, their faces bursting with embarrassment.

"And how will the stork bring the child? If the seed was deposited in the lady, will the stork kidnap her? Isn't that a crime? The police shouldn't-"

"ELOISE!", they shouted again, making her roll her eyes. "Listen, we can't talk about this", Colin added. "I beg your pardon, but unfortunately it is as much information as we can-"

At this moment, the butler appeared at the door, announcing that dinner was ready. The Bridgerton brothers breathed a sigh of relief, thanking internally for the servant's interruption.

"Anyway, dear brothers", Eloise commented quickly, as she and her brothers headed for the dining room. "Thank you for the information".

Both Benedict and Colin smiled. Eloise was a smart girl and would certainly discover for herself what the story of the little seed and the stork represented in reality. Their work as older brothers had been successful.

-

Later that night, while Lady Bridgerton was getting ready for bed, Eloise appeared at the door.

"Mom", she smiled, shyly. "Can you explain something to me?"

"Sure, my daughter", Violet invited her over to the dressing table she was on. "What you want to know?".

-

(The next day, Violet Bridgerton's sermons about meaningless phrases containing words like little seed, lady, stork and babies burst through the neighborhood, much to Lady Whistledown's happiness).

**Author's Note:**

> Did you like it?
> 
> Please, leave me kudos and/or comments!


End file.
